OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Hackers victimize charity chain
The latest retail data breach demonstrates that hackers will victimize whoever is vulnerable.

America’s Thrift Stores, an Alabama-based, 18-store for-profit chain that sells donated items and then contributes a significant portion of the profit to local charities, has been breached. Hackers used malware to compromise the systems of a third-party service provider, which gave them access to the America’s Thrift Stores network.
Shipping in the Holiday Cheer
It’s officially fall and, for retailers, this means holiday shopping season is right around the corner. For most, the season is marked by increased sales, both on and offline, and an opportunity to tap the highly profitable demographic of holiday shoppers. Likewise, it’s a chance for merchants to explore new markets and test new locations for possible retail site development.

Q&A with HRC Advisory CEO Antony Karabus: Many retailers underestimate importance of remodels

HRC Advisory’s annual CEO and CFO survey revealed a major disconnect between capital investments, retail growth and operating strategies.

Chain Store Age spoke with HRC Advisory CEO Antony Karabus about the survey.

What did you find most surprising about the survey results?
Report: Kroger offers full benefits to transgender employees

Kroger has announced that it had added transgender health benefits to one of the company’s health insurance plans, according to Forbes. "Beginning January 1, 2016, medical procedures including surgery and drug therapy for gender reassignment will be covered up to a $100,000 lifetime maximum for eligible associates and their dependents,” the company wrote on their employee social network. (Forbes)
Survey: Distribution centers pick up the pace

Retailers are keeping up with omnichannel consumer demand behind the scenes.

According to a new survey of distribution center operators from Honeywell and YouGov, nearly nine in 10 distribution center operators expect to adopt new mobile devices and voice-direction technology in the next five years to meet omnichannel consumer expectations of faster, more accurate delivery.
Job cuts come to Dollar General's headquarters

Dollar General is rightsizing its expense structure by eliminating several hundred positions at its home office.
Sears ‘hears’ need for better picking with Honeywell voice-directed solution

No matter how good a retailer’s seamless experience is, without the correct product it falls apart.

Sears Holding Corp. is trying to ensure the right products are picked for the right customers with new Honeywell Vocollect voice-directed picking solutions. The retailer is working with Speech Interface Design (SID) to implement the solutions in two of its regional specialty distribution centers (RSCs) and its largest retail distribution center (RDC) in the coming months.
Starbucks CIO makes quick-service landing

Curt Garner, who first announced he would leave his current role as CIO of Starbucks Corp. in June, has revealed his next professional stop.

Garner will join Chipotle Mexican Grill as CIO effective Nov. 23, and become the company’s first executive with that title. Chipotle appears to want to duplicate some of the IT-related success Starbucks has had in areas such as store operations and customer experience.
Wakefern puts three execs in new roles

From left: Paul Gotthelf, Bob Rohlander and Roger Savoia

Wakefern Food Corp. announced Monday that it had promoted three of its executives to new leadership roles.
Kohl's adds more same-day markets

Kohl’s is speeding up its digital overhaul and expanding a new service that aims to attract shoppers who want their purchases to arrive as quickly as possible.

The company announced it will expand its partnership with Deliv to offer shoppers same-day delivery service. Deliv currently powers Kohl's same-day service in San Francisco, the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago. The service will now expand to Boston, Brooklyn/Queens, Los Angeles, Miami, Northern New Jersey, and Philadelphia in the coming weeks.